Knitting needle



y 3 1932. F. J. POTTER 1,860,788

KNITTING NEEDLE Original Filed April 9, 1929 FICi 1.

Ham la K FIG 112 FI H 11 G J0 Z i *4 z I y 4 z BY ATTORNEYS.

' with such needles.

Patented May 31, 1932 STATE FBEDRICK J. POTTER, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 FRED J.

POTTER COMPANY, OF NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW

JERSEY JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW KNITTING NEEDLE Original application filed April 9, 1929, Serial No. 353,871. This application filed June 5, 1930. Serial No. 459,335.

This invention relates to needles for knitting machines, and has more particular reference to spring beard knitting needles intended for cam actuation. the present application being a division of application Serial No. 424,230 filed by me on January 29, 1980.

The spring beard knitting needle herein claimed was first described by me to the Patent Oifice in an application bearing Serial No. 353,871, filed April 9, 1929, and subsequently abandonded with reservation of applicants right to prosecute claims for the same subject matter in the present case.

Needles of the'kind specifically referred to are ordinarily made from round wire stock which does not readily permit integral formation of actuating butts with sufficient strength and of proper configuration to with stand the wear incident to their use in the knitting machines, so that individual supplemental jacks are commonly associated In view of the fine gages now demanded, particularly in connection with hosiery manufacture, spring beard needles made as just explained are inherently weak by reason of their susceptibility to easy flexure, and do not receive sufficient support in this regard from the butt jacks. Use of such needles is moreover attended by uneven wear of the grooves provided for their guidan'cein the knitting machines'-the jack component cutting deeper into the side walls of the groves than the trailer shank components-With the .result that streaks are obcasioned in the fabric when needle replacements must be made by reason of beard breakage.

The purpose of my invention is to overcome the several drawbacks to which attention has been directed through provision of a spring beard needle made from flat sheet metal stock with a comparatively broad shank capable of eflt'ectively resisting flexure, formed 'integrally with a broader solid lower portion from which the butt projects laterally, and characterized by having an extension below such actuating butt whereby the needle is prevented from roc ring in its guide groove.

In the drawings, Figs. I-V illustrate successive steps in the process of integrally formof appropriate thickness, a blank 10 having the configuration shown in Fig. I. I then round the upper narrow end of this blank 10 which is to constitute the shank of the needle, as shown at 11 in Fig. II. This can be accomplished in many ways, as for example, by rolling.

I next form a short longitudinally extending groove at the proper point in the rounded shank 11 as shown at 12 in Fig. III, which groove is to ultimately receive the pointed end of the spring beard. This groove 12 may be formed by any appropriate tool, in a manner apparent to those skilled in the art.

Following this, the rounded portion 11 is reduced in thickness as by milling it at the sides with incidental flattening of the upper end of the shank to its original thickness as shown in Fig. IV.

In the next step of the process, the upper end of the needle shank 11 is further reduced at the front, by milling or otherwise, and at the same time shaped into the form of a tapered tongue such as shown at 15 in Fig. V for the spring beard.

As a final step, the tapered tongue 15 of Fig. V is bent over to form the spring beard 16 of Fig. VI with its point positioned adjacent the groove 12 which is to receive it when said beard is pressed by the beard pressers in the knitting machine.

The foregoing procedure results in the completed needle shown in Fig. VI which, it will be observed, has a fiat upper shank 17 terminating in a spring beard 16, a somewhat wider fiat middle shank portion 18 and a still wider lower portion 19 with an actuating butt 20 projecting from one side edge, said butt being preferably allocated at a distance from the bottom end of the needle wlth consequent provision of a downward reaching extremity 21 that serves to prevent rocking of the needle in its guide groove.

The needle thus produced possesses all the advantages of ordinary spring beard needles drawn from wire, and is novel by virtue of the fact that it has as an integral part thereof, a wide flat lower portion with the actuating butt extending from one side at a substantial distance above the extreme lower end of said flat portion. Accordingly, I am able to dispense with the butt jacks which heretofore had to be used with the spring beard needles of ordinary construction designed for cam actuation,

Having thus described my invention, I claim As a new article of manufacture, a knitting machine needle with all its parts formed integrally from flat metallic stock; and having a spring beard at its upper end, a comparatively narrow shank insuring minimum frictional engagement with the needle guide groove, and, in the region of its actuating butt, a wider solid portion extending below as well as above the butt to strengthen it against rocking and flexing, and to resist torsional strain In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at New Brunswick, New J ersey, this 2nd day of June, 1930.

FREDRICK J. POTTER. 

